The following relates generally to gesture recognition and more specifically to systems for automatically evaluating martial arts moves.
Some martial arts competitions are judged based on a point system. For example, a punch landing in a particular region of an opponent might yield a certain number of points, whereas a kick landing in a particular region might yield a different number of points. In addition to whether and where a punch or kick strikes an opponent, the technique of the move may also be judged. For example, a punch that is delivered with proper technique may be awarded points than a punch that strikes the opponent in the proper region, but was delivered with improper technique.
Such scoring metrics are subjective when judged by a human referee. For example, the speed of the moves and nuanced distinctions between proper and improper technique can be difficult to discern during a fast-paced competition. The subjective nature of the scoring leads to inconsistency and ambiguity regarding the winner of such martial arts competitions. In some cases, due to the ambiguity in scoring, a martial arts competition will be stopped after each move so that the referee and coaches from each side can review a recorded replay of the move. The repeated interruptions caused by these reviews slows down the cadence of the fight and degrades the experience for the competitors and viewers. Moreover, in many cases, a fee is charged for the video review, which may be prohibitive to certain competitors.
Some competitive fighting sports use electronic devices affixed to the opponents to assist with the scoring. However, such systems are not suitable for use in certain martial arts competitions (e.g., karate), because such systems can be too bulky, require the competitors to wear vests or similar clothing to register the strikes, lack the sensitivity required to judge the technique of a move, or some combination of these technical deficiencies.